Refugee Action welcomes the debate at today’s Prime Ministers Questions. In response to the Chancellor’s statements on the Mediterranean Crisis, Refugee Action Chief Executive Stephen Hale commented:
“It’s make or break time for the government’s response to the Mediterranean crisis, which came up again at Prime Minister’s Questions. The UK response must match the scale of this crisis. Germany has pledged to take 30,000 Syrian refugees. So far, the UK has resettled just 187.
“George Osborne referred to the need to ‘break the link’ between asylum seekers making the crossing and receiving refugee status. Offering safe and legal routes to those fleeing conflict and persecution as we did during crises in Nazi Germany, Vietnam and Bosnia would be the most effective way to do that.”
Survivors of those conflicts will come together with Citizens UK and Refugee Action to make that case outside of parliament next Wednesday, ahead of the Prime Minister’s discussions with EU leaders on the issue next week.